Part 11: I Can Do Better

Green Arrow felt like hitting his head. Impulse had told her everything; she would know who to pit against who, which meant that the only hope they had was the blonde. She had been the only one to betray her power to any of them. He was about to open his mouth when the Amazon put her hand on the brunette's shoulder.

"You agreed to share this information with us and now you are rescinding that offer even though we helped you gain the information, but we are willing to play you for it." Artemis flashed him a smile that was more of a warning.

"What's the game?" Green Arrow asked hesitantly.

Black Canary grinned. "It's called 'Anything you can do I can do better?'"

Impulse stepped forward. "And what does that mean?"

"It means we find out if you boys can beat us or if we beat you." Beautiful Dreamer smiled slowly. "We'll discover who is faster Knightrider or Omen. And who is a better shot with a bow, Artemis or Kermit. And who's stronger Black Canary or the astronaut."

Aquaman did the math and realized he was not included. "What about you and me?"

"Marlin, the clown fish, and Beautiful Dreamer will compete for who is—" Black Canary was interrupted.

Green Arrow interjected with his own idea so he controlled at least part of this situation. "Prettier."

"What?" Aquaman and Beautiful Dreamer asked together then choose to glare at each other and ignore Green Arrow, so he felt no need to explain himself.

Green Arrow instead turned to the lethal African weapon. "Agree?" He put out his hand before realizing it might be like offering his bare skin to an angry cobra, but he was too stubborn to pull away. The Amazon's warning like smile remained, but she only gripped his hand for a moment and allowed him to remove it unscathed.

"Can we get this over with?" Impulse was impatient to defeat his opponent and watch the other far more interesting battles.

"Sure, you can go first." Artemis smiled kindly at him while knowing how the first contest would end. "First person to the opposite end of the pond wins. Agreed?" She gave Green Arrow the option to contest, but he only nodded his head. He was suspicious, but had no idea how she was controlling this.

Maya stood between Impulse and Omen making a good show of forcing them to stay the same distance from the water. Then she shouted, "Go." Impulse took off smiling; he'd never told the huntress that he was fast enough to run over water. About half way across the pond he looked up and saw Omen leaning against a tree waving at him. Impulse stopped running for a moment and started to sink.

"I believe that's one for the girls." AC looked to Oliver. "She knows all about us."

"Still they have to actually beat us." Green Arrow smirked from within his hood. "The Chickadee has to be stronger than Cyborg and the Goddess has to have better aim than me. Unlikely."

AC thought about it for a moment then asked aloud, "So how do we judge who is prettier?"

"A vote?" Artemis answered with the first thought that came to her. Green Arrow nodded.

Impulse and Omen returned only a little damp. "What are we voting on?"

"Whose poster would you rather hang in your room Ken or Barbie?" Victor answered.

AC smiled. "Wait she's Barbie to my Ken, Impulse just got his ass handed to him by Omen, there's Green Arrow and Red—"

"Alright, the next person who calls me Red Arrow is going to be drowned in that pond." Artemis's calm anger had returned. "Now Aquaman and Dreamer each get a chance to present themselves then everyone else votes on who they found more appealing."

No one objected. Green Arrow watched Artemis carefully and reminded himself to find out more about her. "Ladies first."

Beautiful Dreamer nodded her thanks. She sent out images into the males' minds. It was a picture of her wearing a silk robe just out of the shower, her hair still wet and contradictorily in fresh face make-up. In other words innocent beauty.

"Can we vote now?" Impulse asked.

"No." Beautiful Dreamer let the word roll slowly out of her mouth. "Let sushi have his turn."

Aquaman simply unzipped the front of his wet suit and striped to the waist. "I'm done." Black Canary and Omen's mouths dropped open.

"Cheater," Beautiful Dreamer said with a slow seductive smile. She was clearly impressed and flirted with him to show her appreciation.

"Alright, let's vote. Guy then girl until we're through. Sound good?" Green Arrow looked to Artemis.

She nodded. "Napoleon?" she asked turning to Impulse.

"Malibu Barbie." He grinned at the images in his head.

"Canary?"

Black Canary rolled her eyes. "Mr. Universe over there," she answered grudgingly not liking that she had to be honest, but more embarrassed to be caught in a lie.

"Terminator?"

Cyborg's face stayed straight, but his feet shuffled uncomfortably as Beautiful Dreamer continued the images. "The girl," his response was clipped but clearly the honest truth.

"Omen?"

"Do I have to be completely honest?" Omen seemed torn between who she wanted to win and who she truly though was sexier.

Beautiful Dreamer rolled her eyes. "Yes, just answer the damn question."

"Water man."

"Froggy?"

Green Arrow glared at his counterpart, and stubbornly thought about saying Aquaman. Omen sent Beautiful Dreamer and warning look, so Beautiful Dreamer sent him a fresh image. "Her, what's your vote?"

"Neither," Artemis answered simply.

"What?" Omen was the one who objected. "You don't find either of them appealing?"

Artemis shrugged, "No." She smiled sardonically, "No offense Dreamer, your just not my type."

"It would be awkward if I were." Beautiful Dreamer sent her a laugh in return.

"And what about Aquaman?" Impulse asked pulling a Vanna White on the half-Superhero-half-Greek-God who was flexing his muscles in a very herculean pose.

Rolling her eyes, Artemis walked over to where Aquaman stood. "You can stop wasting your energy. Here's a little hint I'm not from your world and in mine mates weren't picked based on their ability to mimic ancient sculptures."

Green Arrow knew they couldn't win this contest but he could trap Artemis into tying them with her own words said in the haze of anger. "But you said to vote for you find more appealing. Now you may not pick Aquaman as a mate; you may not even like him, but if you had to choose between him and Beautiful Dream, who do you find more appealing?"

"Neither."

"If it was life or death?" Green Arrow added, but Cyborg stopped him.

Instead Cyborg asked, "On your honor who would you choose?"

For a moment Artemis and Cyborg just met glares and matching expressions. Artemis and Green Arrow might both be the leaders and archers, but emotionally Cyborg was a closer match to the archess. "Looks like it's a tie," Artemis admitted, nodding her accent to Cyborg, who rewarded her with a rare, but genuine smile.

"We're still winning," Black Canary added nonchalantly with a cheeky grin that Green Arrow caught.

He shot her a smirk in return. "Not for long." He raised his eyebrows. "You're up."